§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the typical import costs per ton of butter, cheese and beef, respectively, in 1972 and January 1975, showing for each commodity the relevant duties, levies and subsidies.
§ Mr. BishopThe information for the latest period for which import prices are available is as follows:
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(£ per ton) 1972 January 1975 Product Duty Levy Import subsidy Duty Levy Import subsidy (a) Beef: Developed Commonwealth Fresh, Nil Nil Nil 8 per cent. ad valorem … Nil £128 frozen Developing Commonwealth or Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil £128 chilled Ireland Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil £23 EEC Bone In … … £6.22 Nil Nil Bone In … … £3.73 Nil £115 Boneless Boneless: 5% ad val. … … 3% ad val. … … Nil Others Bone In … … £6.22 Nil Nil Bone In … £3.73+ Boneless 8% ad val. … … Nil £82 5% ad. val. … … Boneless: 11% ad val. … … Nil £128 Notes: (1) Owing to the wide variety of cuts, qualities, presentations and origins, it is not possible to give c.i.f. prices in a meaningful way. For the same reasons, it is not possible to suggest a specific value for the ad valorem tariff rates given. (2) Imports from third countries are at present prohibited except for imports within the GATI evy free quota. (a) These are representative examples of m.c.a. subsidies but not exhaustive.
§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there are any restrictions under the Treaty of Accession and membership of the European Community which would prevent producer milk prices from being adjusted more frequently than once a year in line with the recommendations of the Expenditure Committee.
§ Mr. BishopExperience during 1974–75 has shown that the guaranteed price for milk can be increased more often than once a year consistently with Community obligations.